I Didn't Use ONE Coupon!

Okay, so I've been posting lots and lots of posts about all the money I have saved (and you can save too) buying groceries, gifts etc.  In fact, I've been posting so many of those that I'm afraid people may be under the impression that I save 80% every time I shop... and that's far from being true.
I do strive for 50% at least off of big shopping trips, but, there are times we just need to get by for a few days and we do just that, we get by. 
So here is another way this 'couponing' / 'budgeting' thing saves me money.
Our 'budget' lasts us from paycheck to paycheck, so we are on a monthly budget broken down into bi-weekly increments.  If you're lost (because I can't seem to find a better way to word it), all you really need to know about that is this:  we have until Thursday to survive on our grocery budget before it gets replenished.  SO, I needed to have meals planned from today - Thursday, and I had approximately $25 left in grocery budget.  (I cut our budget way short these past two weeks to help pay for our anniversary expenses coming up.  I had my stockpile of food built up enough that I almost was able to cut my $125 (for two weeks) grocery budget in half and still be able to make it work. 
So, after going through my kitchen, finding out what I had, planning four meals dependent on what we had (and what this pregnant woman thinks she can eat), and comparing sales, I made my list and went to Kroger.  And this is what I bought to last us the next 4 days:
1/2 Gallon of 2%
1/2 Gallon of Vitamin D
A container of Heavy Whipping Cream
1 Dozen Large Eggs
French Bread from the bakery
Hamburger Buns
Sandwich Bread
Peaches
Bananas
Strawberries
Bacon
Carrots
Potatoes
I bought these things to make:
1.  Cheeseburgers (have the burgers in the freezer, cheese, and all I need for 1 of 10 different sides already in my stockpile.  this is why stocking up on sales is so important.)
2.  Homemade french toast, with homemade syrup, fruit, and bacon (I'm totally stoked about this supper meal.  I got the recipe from a woman on the road, and it's ammmmmaaaazin!) I have everything in my house for this except the bread, bacon and whipping cream.)
3.  Pot roast, potatoes and carrots.  (Have the pot roast in the freezer)
4.  Pizza night.  Yep, one of the .49 frozen tombstones I got from Kroger during their mega sale.  it's a cheap quick meal, especially on busy Wednesday nights.)

All in total, I spent $19.03 to complete our meals this week, and I didn't use one coupon!  (I did, however, still manage to save 24% somehow.  I bought the potatoes on managers special because I knew we'd use them all soon, and I think the milk was on sale... but I ended up saving almost $7.)   We have plenty for lunches for those days, even if they are grilled cheese, pizza rolls, pb&js, or frozen meals, and plenty for breakfast with frozen waffles, instant oatmeal, and like 4 different boxes of cereal.  (Or an egg or two if one so chooses.)
I will admit though... I have about $5 left in my grocery budget, and our new budget starts on Thursday... and Kroger is fitting to have one mean sale on Twinkies, and this pregnant girl could eat a twinkie, let me tell you.  So, instead of paying $3.99 a box for them now, I'm saving the craving for Wednesday and getting them for $1.88!  Wooooo hoooo!  It's the little things ;)
-a